Sky News documentary investigates the ‘Primodos scandal’

Sky documentary investigates the ‘Primodos scandal’.

An investigation documentary has been produced by Sky News into the Primodos drug scandal. The story goes back over forty years and the fight ever since by women who believe their children died or were born deformed as a result of a pill they were issued when pregnant in the 1960s and 1970s.

Primodos, a pregnancy testing tablet, was dispensed to British women by their GPs across the two decades. Women were informed that if they didn’t bleed they were expecting a baby. However the tablet was packed with hormones which out-numbers the morning after pill by thirteen and over forty times of those found in the oral contraceptive.

Hundreds of females miscarried or gave birth to children with severe deformities; yet the German-based drug company behind the pill, Schering, now part of the Bayer group, Sky News state have always denied their drug was to blame for any of the issues concerning the pregnancies.

Not accepting the stance, for the past four decades, families affected by the pills have been fighting for the truth. Now after two failed legal cases this Sky production has uncovered evidence Schering knew about the potential risks to women from a very early stage in their production process, however opted not to take any action over the issues and attempted to keep the findings under wraps.

The documentary goes to air at a time a government ordered inquiry into Primodos comes to a close. It brings to viewers information fromthe British Medicines Regulator, which had been set up to prevent a health crisis such as the Thalidomide scandal from occurring again. It’s archive suggests they worked closely with Schering which revealed damaging test results, however the findings and data was destroyed by the company the programme reveals.

The production team have gained exclusive access to new scientific evidence that reinforces previous studies suggesting there is a clear link between the tablet and malformations. The programme also reveals how the story of a little boy 5,000 miles away in America can offer hope to the Primodos children who are still coping with the deformities and searching for answers.

The hour long documentary is presented by Jason Farrell, who has been investigating the case for the past six years.

Primodos: The Secret Drug Scandal airs on Sky Atlantic on Tuesday March 21st at 8pm and can be seen on Sky News on Wednesday March 22nd at 9pm.